Where is Croatia? An introduction

The incredible World Cup success, coupled with the passionate support of the travelling fans wearing THAT iconic shirt had millions wondering the same thing: just exactly where IS Croatia?

Rather than just giving an explanation of where the country is geographically, I thought it was a good opportunity to answer the question with a look at where Croatian society fits in on various global factors.

But let’s start at the beginning. Although Croatia has a rich and proud history and heritage, the modern state is just 28 years old.

Previously, it had been a federal republic of former Yugoslavia. A war of independence from 1991-1995 devastated much of the country, but it brought hard-won freedom.

Even though Croatia is perceived as being in Eastern Europe, its capital Zagreb is further west than Vienna.

With more than 1,000 islands and almost 2,000 km of coastline, Croatian tourism is understandably focused on the Adriatic Sea. But it has several land neighbours too (and territorial disputes with all but one – see this TCN overview).

The neighbours include Slovenia to the west, Hungary to the north, Serbia, Bosnia and Hercegovina, and Montenegro to the east. The President of Liberland would also consider his country a peaceful eastern neighbour too, but Croatia does not recognise the tiny self-proclaimed republic.

EU, Euro, NATO, and Schengen

More confusing than the question ‘where is Croatia’ is the country’s status in various institusions.

It IS a member of the EU, becoming its 28th member on July 1, 2013. It IS a member of NATO, joining with Albania in 2009. But it is NOT a part of the Schengen zone yet, although entry is expected in 2019 or 2020. It is also NOT a part of the eurozone currently, although again this is a stated goal.

Where are Croatians? Homeland population and diaspora

It is a sad reality that almost half of all Croatians live outside of the country. The country has a history of emigration over the centuries, mostly for economic and political reasons.

The currently population inside population is diminishing at a rapid rate and recently fell below 4 million.

It should be noted that these numbers do not take into account the latest crushing wave of emigration. One of the most popular new diaspora destinations is Ireland, the only English-speaking country to allow Croats entry without any work restrictions upon EU entry.

Ireland’s economic benefit is very much the Adriatic region’s loss.

UN Human Development Index

And so let’s take a look at where Croatia stands compared to the rest of the world. There are a number of global indicators covering different aspects of a country. But I have never seen them grouped together for this country. So let’s try!

Sustainable Development Goals

World Talent Ranking

The IMD World Talent Ranking is based on countries’ performance in three main categories — investment and development, appeal and readiness. The three categories assess how countries perform in a wide range of areas. These include education, apprenticeships, workplace training, language skills, cost of living, quality of life, remuneration and tax rates. Where do we stand in the 2018 rankings?

World Digital Competitiveness Ranking

Accepting Migrants

The migrant crisis has been a huge European issue over the last few years. With its geographic location, Croatia has been at the forefront of the crisis at various stages. A Gallup poll of migrant acceptance in the EU featured Croatia, but how did Croatia score?

LGBT

Religion

Croatia is a very conservative country, and religion is an important part of the social fabric. There are 15 recognised churches in the country, although the country is overwhelmingly Catholic (about 86%). Learn more about religion in Croatia.

The tiny country which dared to dream – sport

For many, however, Croatia is the land of sporting dreams. This tiny country has a consistent record of punching above its weight in a number of sports. None will forget the magic of Croatia’s magical run all the way to the World Cup Final in Moscow in 2018.